FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅
The article analyzes how the circulation of naturalist knowledge in the eighteenth century was articulated with Swedish expeditions to Asia, taking as its central case the Linnaean program for the voyage of Christopher Tärnström (1745–1746) in the service of the Swedish East India Company. The autho...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
|---|---|
| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Articles |
| Published: |
Instituto Cultural de Macau
January 2007
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| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40021/3729 |
| _version_ | 1877196270926299136 |
|---|---|
| author | Christina Granroth |
| author_autocomplete | Christina Granroth |
| author_browse | Christina Granroth |
| author_facet | Christina Granroth Christina Granroth |
| author_sort | Christina Granroth |
| container_title | Review of Culture |
| container_title_str | Review of Culture |
| container_volume | 21 |
| container_volume_str | 21 |
| description | The article analyzes how the circulation of naturalist knowledge in the eighteenth century was articulated with Swedish expeditions to Asia, taking as its central case the Linnaean program for the voyage of Christopher Tärnström (1745–1746) in the service of the Swedish East India Company. The author argues that Linnaeus's "apostles" were not sent merely as scientific observers, but as mediators of a project that was simultaneously taxonomical, utilitarian, and politico-economic: they were to collect plants, animals, and medicinal materials; preserve specimens and samples in a standardized manner; and produce descriptions oriented toward classification and material exploitation (for example, plants of interest, secrets of porcelain production, and pharmacological resources). Methodologically, the text reconstructs the link between Linnaeus's instructions, epistolary networks, and collection routines, confronting the epistolary "task notebook" with the logic of the nomenclature system based on sexual reproduction and with Linnaeus's dependence on external correspondents and informants. The main conclusions indicate that Linnaeus's taxonomy was reinforced by the infrastructure of travel, preservation, and observation; and that knowledge of the Asian flora, although presented as universal, emerged from colonial practices, state interests, and strategies for translating the natural world into classifiable objects. |
| first_indexed | 2026-09-11T02:56:54Z |
| format | Articles |
| genre | Articles |
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| hierarchy_parent_title | Review of Culture |
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| latest_content_date | 2026-09-11T02:56:54Z |
| publishDate | January 2007 |
| publishDateRange | 2007 |
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| publishPlace | Macau |
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| spelling | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 The article analyzes how the circulation of naturalist knowledge in the eighteenth century was articulated with Swedish expeditions to Asia, taking as its central case the Linnaean program for the voyage of Christopher Tärnström (1745–1746) in the service of the Swedish East India Company. The author argues that Linnaeus's "apostles" were not sent merely as scientific observers, but as mediators of a project that was simultaneously taxonomical, utilitarian, and politico-economic: they were to collect plants, animals, and medicinal materials; preserve specimens and samples in a standardized manner; and produce descriptions oriented toward classification and material exploitation (for example, plants of interest, secrets of porcelain production, and pharmacological resources). Methodologically, the text reconstructs the link between Linnaeus's instructions, epistolary networks, and collection routines, confronting the epistolary "task notebook" with the logic of the nomenclature system based on sexual reproduction and with Linnaeus's dependence on external correspondents and informants. The main conclusions indicate that Linnaeus's taxonomy was reinforced by the infrastructure of travel, preservation, and observation; and that knowledge of the Asian flora, although presented as universal, emerged from colonial practices, state interests, and strategies for translating the natural world into classifiable objects. Instituto Cultural de Macau Macau Review of Culture Articles January 2007 Christina Granroth |
| spellingShingle | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 Christina Granroth |
| title | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 |
| title_autocomplete | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 |
| title_full | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 |
| title_fullStr | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 |
| title_full_unstemmed | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 |
| title_short | FLORA’S APOSTLES IN THE EAST INDIES. NATURAL HISTORY, CARL LINNAEUS AND SWEDISH TRAVEL TO ASIA IN THE 18TH CENTURY植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 |
| title_sort | flora’s apostles in the east indies. natural history, carl linnaeus and swedish travel to asia in the 18th century植物群於亞洲的傳播：林奈動植物分類法計劃及十八世紀的瑞典赴亞洲之旅 |
| url | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40021/3729 |
| zotero_collection_key | 76L3BRGH |